Comparometer! 5D mkiii vs your current camera

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I have been lurking for quite a while on this forum and DP. I will say that the situation in these forums has reminded me of a similar situation brewing in my home town of Denver since the news of us getting Peyton Manning. Tebow fans have become completely irrational to the point of losing the bigger picture (pun intended) of the how the different player's skills will be utilized for a winning team. They are so blinded by their disappointment that they fail to see all the benefits of bringing an older, but proven player into town. Ok, so maybe that analogy is terrible, but I thought I'd throw it out there (again, pun intended).

On to the meat of the post; I have scoured all the different sample images that have been posted and directed on these forums. I think one that has received the most attention have been the imaging resources sample images, and after looking at all the different permutations that have been posted I don't really know what to think, especially when compared to the D800.

I was recently emailed this link:

http://www.slrlounge.com/on-imaging-resources-canon-5d-mkiii-vs-nikon-d800-studio-sample-comparison

I looked at the comparisons on it and was shocked at how much sharper and less noisy the 5Dmkiii looked when compared to the d800, especially after all the opposite results that I had seen on this and other forums. I was so surprised especially by the sharpness of the 5d images that I actually figured they might have gotten them backward. I know that they are jpeg images and RAW, blah, blah but to me JPEG is as important as RAW (I am a pro that shoots more JPEG than RAW).

The tool they used to compare the cameras was actually built into the imaging resources website, it's called the comparometer, and it is similar to the comparison part of the dpreview website (but not nearly as slick). Since dp doesn't have either camera added to its comparison tool yet this one is the best we have. I urge you to try it out, not only can you compare to the mkii and the D800, but you can also compare to your current camera. In my case I am moving over from pentax, and I have been shooting the K5 for the last year or so. The K5 has the vaunted exmor Sony sensor (same as the D7000, and a permutation of the d800) that everyone croons about. It has been a great camera, but using the comparometer I can see how much superior the mkiii is going to be in IQ. Try it, it's fun.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

Finally, I just want to give my 2 cents on why this is my dream camera, and why I have been shooting professionally for 3 years using a non-canikon company. I shoot a lot of HDRI (I know many of you already hate me) but it has been a lucrative part of my pro and art photography and I find the uniqueness of images I can create using it gives me freedom to move beyond the limitations of a single exposure and into a more realistic approximation of how the human visual system is constantly merging vastly different lighting conditions into a visual representation of the world around us (sorry for the jargon, but I'm studying sensory systems in my PhD work). It doesn't take a single exposure, and thus when you look at the outside world from inside a building you don't see blown out windows when you see the interior, and vice versus. You "see" the whole dynamic range. Anyhow, until now the only camera system that had better AEB (which is very important to me since manually bracketing is not possible when handheld shooting) than pentax has been the 1D. The 1D could do 7 shot bracket at 3 ev stops per bracket so could get a max of 18 stops of DR, Nikon, in its high end D3x and D4 can do 11 shots (d800 can do 9), but only at 1 ev spacing per shot they only have a max of 10 stops (or 8 for the d800). My pentax can do 5 at 2 ev so it can get 8 ev in far less shots than nikon which is very important due to speed and lack of movement. It was never really an option to get into the 1D due to price, but more importantly size (as I travel a lot). The 5d has finally gotten the AEB of the 1D series and that is amazing for me, on top of that it is full frame (which I have always wanted for low light and DOF reasons), and sinc I have been shooting more and more sports professionally the amazing new autofocus is the cherry on top.

Sorry for the rant. I'm preordered from B&H since March 2 and am waiting on pins an needles. I already bought a 70-200 2.8 IS, a siggy 12-24mm rectilinear, and a 50mm 1.2L, as my starting kit and drool looking at the lenses each day waiting.

If you want to see examples of my work see below. Also, looking forward to being a canon man...

www.flickr.com/benison
 
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BillyBean

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Sorry, I've never heard of Peyton Manning. In fact, I've barely heard of Denver... But yes, interesting comparisons. DP have now put up the D800, and hopefully are frantically working on the 5D3. But even without the 5D3, the results are interesting. I'd swear the results for the D800 at moderately high ISO - 6400 and above, are pretty crap compared to the 5D3 images posted the other day by a poster on FredMiranda, which seemed pretty flawless to me above 8000. But of course, this is not like for like, so looking forward to DP's 5D3 posting.

I don't much like the imaging-resource comparometer - it's a pig to use.
 
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BillyBean

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As for 'dream camera' the 5D3 comes close for me. The thing that really grates though is paying a truck-load of money for something with minor irritations for which there is no excuse really. None of them are consequential, but just stupid little things like no UHS support on the SD card, no USB 3.0 support, nobbled HDMI output, etc etc. Things they seem to have got right in the D800 for a lot less money. I guess I feel that paying this amount, we shouldn't have to accept less than perfect within the overall design brief - yeah, I know that's irrational. And at the end of the day, I don't really care about these little things, but its just irritating, you know?
 
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The 5D MkIII does look cleaner at high ISOs, but look how much more detail the D800 is resolving, especially in the fabric (and as others have already noted -it is far superior in the red patterned fabric). Assuming that the exposures were equal, the D800 also seems like it has more dynamic range than the5D MkIII: look at the texture on the wall behind the bottles -absent in the 5D MkIII image. The texture on the wall is still apparent at ISO800 in the D800 image (there is some detail visible throught he noise).
 
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zim

CR Pro
Oct 18, 2011
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Interesting comparometer, just compared the 550D to 5Dmkiii, that lil ol 550 really doesn’t do to bad up to 800 given sensor size and price difference. I assume pictures are taken with their respective kit lenses? Its making me think more and more about getting a 60D and good bit of glass and sod it all…. oh wait a new rebel is just round the corner…… wait maybe a new 7D…… wait…… bugger
 
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baronow

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interesting thoughts.. i ordered on March 3rd as well, so I bet there are numerous parameters that we are processing similarly.. i've had an Xsi since the day it came out but every lens i've picked up since (zeiss planar 50/1.4, canon 16-35 L2, and canon 70-200 L) have been geared to getting the mkIII eventually.. i have been craving better dynamic range and noise for astrophotography and so i have been worrying about what is going on in the upper ISO for this new sensor.. it doesn't look as though it is the answer to my dreams, but it will be a wonderful improvement.. i am nervous about it though.. so much money for what seems to be only an incremental improvement
 
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DanielG

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@!ex said:
I have been lurking for quite a while on this forum and DP. I will say that the situation in these forums has reminded me of a similar situation brewing in my home town of Denver since the news of us getting Peyton Manning. Tebow fans have become completely irrational to the point of losing the bigger picture (pun intended) of the how the different player's skills will be utilized for a winning team. They are so blinded by their disappointment that they fail to see all the benefits of bringing an older, but proven player into town. Ok, so maybe that analogy is terrible, but I thought I'd throw it out there (again, pun intended).

Another Denverite waiting on the Mark III here as well.

People are going kind of crazy about all that hype. I hope we get our cameras soon, the weather has been phenomenal lately.
 
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zim said:
Interesting comparometer, just compared the 550D to 5Dmkiii, that lil ol 550 really doesn’t do to bad up to 800 given sensor size and price difference. I assume pictures are taken with their respective kit lenses? Its making me think more and more about getting a 60D and good bit of glass and sod it all…. oh wait a new rebel is just round the corner…… wait maybe a new 7D…… wait…… bugger

There are places where each seems to resolve more, just depends on where you look. One the pink piece of fabric, even at low ISO the mkiii seems much better to my eye than the d800, and it just get more pronounced as you increase sensitivity. mkiii is on the left:

fxQyE.jpg
 
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@!ex said:
I shoot a lot of HDRI (I know many of you already hate me) but it has been a lucrative part of my pro and art photography and I find the uniqueness of images I can create using it gives me freedom to move beyond the limitations of a single exposure and into a more realistic approximation of how the human visual system is constantly merging vastly different lighting conditions into a visual representation of the world around us (sorry for the jargon, but I'm studying sensory systems in my PhD work).

I've never been shy about expressing my disdain for HDR, but in reviewing your, it's obvious that you're very adept at tastefully executing this technique. I'm all for HDR as long as it's used to create an image that more closely resembles what the human eye would capture. Even if it's pushed a bit beyond that point, that's fine by me as long as it adds to the artistic execution of the image.

The type of HDR I can't stand are images that have no redeeming qualities whatsoever that have been processed to look like cartoons. Ultimately, all that does is create a poorly composed, poorly lit image that looks like a cartoon. It's a gimmick that needs to go away, but it sure does get you a lot of e-high-fives on Flickr from people that know nothing about photography :)
 
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WarStreet

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@!ex said:
Sorry for the rant. I'm preordered from B&H since March 2 and am waiting on pins an needles. I already bought a 70-200 2.8 IS, a siggy 12-24mm rectilinear, and a 50mm 1.2L, as my starting kit and drool looking at the lenses each day waiting.

If you want to see examples of my work see below. Also, looking forward to being a canon man...

www.flickr.com/benison
It was fun reading your rant. It is evident that you are going to have a good time with your new toys! So you have those nice ef lenses and no canon camera yet ? Time is going to be very slow until the 5D iii arrives !

Btw nice photos
 
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I've never been shy about expressing my disdain for HDR, but in reviewing your, it's obvious that you're very adept at tastefully executing this technique. I'm all for HDR as long as it's used to create an image that more closely resembles what the human eye would capture. Even if it's pushed a bit beyond that point, that's fine by me as long as it adds to the artistic execution of the image.

The type of HDR I can't stand are images that have no redeeming qualities whatsoever that have been processed to look like cartoons. Ultimately, all that does is create a poorly composed, poorly lit image that looks like a cartoon. It's a gimmick that needs to go away, but it sure does get you a lot of e-high-fives on Flickr from people that know nothing about photography :)
HDR is just like any other tool in photography, when used in the right situation it can make all the difference. Unfortunately it can also be abused and used in situations where no extra dynamic range beyond what the camera can capture in a single exposure is available. It is like the force, it must be used wisely. Thanks for the compliments.
 
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dr croubie

Too many photos, too little time.
Jun 1, 2011
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@!ex said:
Sorry for the rant. I'm preordered from B&H since March 2 and am waiting on pins an needles. I already bought a 70-200 2.8 IS, a siggy 12-24mm rectilinear, and a 50mm 1.2L, as my starting kit and drool looking at the lenses each day waiting.

Can't you just hire something in the meantime?
Play around with an 1100D or so for a few days, when the 5D3 gets to you then it'll seem all the more of an upgrade...
 
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Another Denverite waiting on the Mark III here as well.

People are going kind of crazy about all that hype. I hope we get our cameras soon, the weather has been phenomenal lately.

Hey, just so you know, I canceled my order with B&H, Mike's camera is getting them in first thing tomorrow morning and has a few left. I'm picking mine up at 10:30 in the morning at the store on Colorado Blvd!
 
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It was fun reading your rant. It is evident that you are going to have a good time with your new toys! So you have those nice ef lenses and no canon camera yet ? Time is going to be very slow until the 5D iii arrives !

Btw nice photos

Thanks, waiting is over tomorrow morning. I'll post some initial shots tomorrow night!
 
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DanielG

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@!ex said:
It was fun reading your rant. It is evident that you are going to have a good time with your new toys! So you have those nice ef lenses and no canon camera yet ? Time is going to be very slow until the 5D iii arrives !

Btw nice photos

Thanks, waiting is over tomorrow morning. I'll post some initial shots tomorrow night!

It's tempting but the sales tax is killer ;)
 
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